Gewurztraminer New York

Gewurztraminer New York

Gewurztraminer is renowned for being a particularly tricky grape varietal to grow and cultivate, but is one which plenty of wineries persevere with due to its unique properties and excellent flavors The vines themselves are highly robust, and can even be unruly when in the correct type of soil, but they cannot grow well in terroirs which contain chalk or other similar components. They are also extremely susceptible to a wide range of diseases and rot, and due to their early budding and fruiting, they cannot survive frost. However, despite these problems, in cooler climates and on the right terroir, the Gewurztraminer grape varietal produces wonderful results quite unlike any other vine. The pink grapes are packed full of elegant and sweet flavors, their relatively high sugar content offering a light sweetness alongside floral notes, perfumed and aromatic aromas, and a distinctive taste of lychees. New York state has a wine history which stretches back to the mid-17th century, when Dutch settlers first began cultivating grape vines in the Hudson Valley. Since then, the wine industry of New York has grown from strength to strength, mixing the old with the new as wineries continue to experiment with modern techniques alongside their traditional heritage. Indeed, certain wineries in New York state hold a claim to being amongst the oldest and most well established in the New World, with at least one dating back over three hundred and fifty years. New York state is responsible for a relatively small range of grape varietals, due to its cooler, damper climate, but many varietals such as Riesling and Seyval Blanc thrive in such conditions and produce wines a of singular quality. This wine is not grown in enough areas in this country, especially considering the spectacular results of the efforts of a handful of vintners in California's Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley and Santa Barbara County. Its roots can be traced to Northern Italy's Traminer, although is grown successfully as Gewurtztraminer (Gewurz means spicy) in Austria, Germany, Alsace and elsewhere. It is rich, full-bodied and powerful, with ripe pears, tropical fruits and reminiscent of lychee nuts. At its best it is perfumed with floral qualities, like roses, and potently spicy, especially in the aroma.